All proceeds from this course will be donated to the Foundation for Physical Therapy as part of the Mercer-Marquette Challenge.

Attention CRS employees ONLY: If you have already submitted a CEPD, your registration is complete! No need to click the payment link below!

Sorry, but we are unable to issue refunds

Course Description

Physical therapists are now commonly looked upon as the provider of choice for musculoskeletal care. Screening for conditions not amenable to treatment by a physical therapist, or that require consultation/referral to other providers is a key skill. Therefore, physical therapists in today’s practice settings should have a clear understanding of how to appropriately screen for underlying medical conditions that can present as musculoskeletal conditions so that appropriate medical evaluation and management can be initiated as necessary. Equally important is knowing what one can omit from the examination scheme on a given day, while placing the client at minimal risk. This course will explore the physical therapist’s role as an interdependent practitioner working within a collaborative medical model. A proposed examination scheme will provide the structure for the course. A main focus of the course will also be on presenting the clinical tools and decision-making processes necessary to efficiently and effectively collect and evaluate the history and physical examination data. Professional communication with the patient/client and other health care professionals will also be a central theme. Patient cases will be presented throughout the course as a means of applying differential diagnostic principles and promoting clinical decision-making. This course will focus on clinical decision making principles in an outpatient, direct access physical therapy setting. However, the principles presented will be applicable to any clinical setting.

Learning Objectives

Describe the physical therapist’s role and responsibilities associated with the medical screening process.

Develop consistent clinical processes to assist in screening for systemic disease and other nonmusculoskeletal problems using health screening forms and an appropriately tailored systems review.

Appropriately determine the patient/client who requires medical care not within the scope of physical therapist practice.

Recognize the signs, symptoms, and rehabilitation implications of a broad spectrum of nonmusculoskeletal disorders.

Function as a direct access practitioner.

Serve as a mentor for peers on diagnosis and medical screening according to the principles of evidence-based practice.

Engage in the diagnostic process to establish differential diagnosis across systems and across the lifespan.

Formulate an enhanced working vocabulary of medical and differential diagnosis terminology.

Employ strategies to facilitate professional communication between therapist and physician and therapist and patient/client, including when, how, and what to communicate regarding medical screening issues.

Continuing Education Units

This course is approved in: PA and NY

Physical Therapists

Direct Access CEUs : 10 credits

Course Schedule

DAY ONE: 16 March 2018 (3 hours)

Time

Topic

5:00 – 6:30

Differential diagnosis and direct access practice in PT

6:30 – 6:45

Break

6:45 – 8:15

Introduction to review of systems and general health screening

DAY TWO: 17 March 2018 (7 hours)

Time

Topic

8:00 – 10:15

Cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, and urogenital screening

10:15 – 10:30

Break

10:30 – 12:00

Psychosocial and fear avoidance screening

12:00 – 1:00

Lunch

1:00 – 2:30

Upper quarter screening lab

2:30 – 2:45

Break

2:45 – 4:30

Abdominal palpation lab

About the Speaker

Michael D. Ross, PT, DHSc is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Daemen College in Amherst NY and a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Prior to his appointment at Daemen College, Dr. Ross served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years where he was credentialed as a direct access provider with diagnostic imaging, medical laboratory, specialty physician referral, and pharmacological privileges. He completed his Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Therapy from Daemen College, his Doctorate of Health Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis, and a Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Therapy and Musculoskeletal Primary Care from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vallejo, CA. He has made numerous scientific presentations and has lectured extensively at the entry-level, graduate, and postgraduate levels on medical screening and differential diagnosis in physical therapist practice. Dr. Ross maintains an active community-based practice focusing on patients with chronic pain disorders and has published over 160 manuscripts and abstracts related to orthopedic physical therapist practice. He served as the Editor for the Musculoskeletal Imaging feature of the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy from 2008 to 2016 and is a manuscript reviewer for several medical and rehabilitation journals.

References:

Arroll B, Goodyear-Smith F, Kerse N, Fishman T, Gunn J. Effect of the addition of a “help” question to two screening questions on specificity for diagnosis of depression in general practice: diagnostic validity study. BMJ. 2005;331:884-888.